Number 4 with the bullseye base looks circa 1895, I like the blue decoration with the top brown rim dressing. I too like nautical items, even if it is just a little sailboat in a Chinese export scene. A nice group, I think the Y spur mark also denotes age. Sharon

Thank you for the estimate, Sharon! I'm glad you liked that bowl. I did think it was a bit weird that there were brown spots that look like the brown dressing dropped onto the center of the bowl. I've seen a few with the brown rim dressing from Shangri-La Antiques that looked really beautiful compared to this one. 

John

I am struggling to enlarge photos tonight but to add to what Sharon has said, I think the heavy blue colour is possibly around 1910. I like what I can see of the Kutani, taking the colours at face value it could be Meiji but there is also something about the red sun , a kind of pride in Japan, that makes me think it could equally be a bit later.

I am giving up with this, nothing is working, final words for tonight - a very nice group of items! 😊 😊 😊 😊  sorry that was meant to be one and I can't get rid of them!

Thanks Julia! I appreciate your input! Interesting, looks like three, maybe four Meiji period pieces so far. I'm a very happy camper with that. 

John

Hi John,

Very nice collection. Would like to see the mark on the Kutani if you have the time or inclination to upload, think it is a bit unusual with the setting sun as apposed to the rising sun. Think you are correct in dating the foliate shaped dish with the lip stick rim very nice item.

Michael

Hi @brettm,

Thanks for looking at my newest additions! In terms of the kutani tray, I think it's weird too, but like I said, I really enjoyed the depiction of junks even if I thought it was modern. Since you pointed it out, I looked at the mark again and I noticed it was really small. I included my ballpoint pen tip for reference. The tray is 7 inches long. Here's some photos of the mark:

Also, I apologize for the late responses, and my short response to you @julia. It caught me on my way out to my ceramics class. 😆  Learning all about form and Chinese and Japanese ceramics has inspired me to take up pottery. I didn't even notice that the tray had a rising/setting sun that was symbolic in Japan. I just took it as a nice tranquil harbor scene, but that makes it even more interesting to me!

Also, I am still confused about the material. That foot rim is atypical in my novice opinion, and when I shine light through it, it is opaque. 

Kindly,

John

Hi John,

These are all very familiar to me. The 1st item with the boat is the best and most unusual. I love it. I have very similar dishes with different designs that I had previously dated to 1910-1920.

The second dish I believe is mid 19th. That very dark blue and the painting style I’ve come to associate with that period. Although I could be just wrong 😋 . Julia has a good feel for these things. The last two dishes, I agree with your thoughts.

The set of cups look to possibly be Meiji also.

Nice collection...especially the 1st one! 

Best, Todd

Hello John,

That's the standard mark for Kutaini just thought I would ask in case it was a artist mark, could not see it in the first photo clearly. Think the base rim just got a bit toasted in the kiln. You have the item in hand and if it feels like stonewear then it most likely is Ko-Kutani was made from Stoneware as well as porcelain. When Kutani was revived some revival makers used stoneware to try and be authentic. I don't really have a trained eye for Kutani so will refrain from trying to defiantly date your example. It dose have the 5 Gosai-de colors but the use of gold may indicate it as a revival item. As I said before I really like the two flower shaped blue and white dishes think they maybe 18th or early 19thc. They are painted in that misty almost abstract way I like. Don't think the blue is chemical blue from the photo's. The oblong blue and white dish is nice as well, those oblong dishes have a special name it escapes me at the moment, if I think of it will post.

Michael

Located my dish that is a match for your boat dish...

As son as I had posted the name Nagazara .. long dish popped back into my head, might have to visit the body shop and get a new one.

Michael

Posted by: @brettm

Hello John,

That's the standard mark for Kutaini just thought I would ask in case it was a artist mark, could not see it in the first photo clearly. Think the base rim just got a bit toasted in the kiln. You have the item in hand and if it feels like stonewear then it most likely is Ko-Kutani was made from Stoneware as well as porcelain. When Kutani was revived some revival makers used stoneware to try and be authentic. I don't really have a trained eye for Kutani so will refrain from trying to defiantly date your example. It dose have the 5 Gosai-de colors but the use of gold may indicate it as a revival item. As I said before I really like the two flower shaped blue and white dishes think they maybe 18th or early 19thc. They are painted in that misty almost abstract way I like. Don't think the blue is chemical blue from the photo's. The oblong blue and white dish is nice as well, those oblong dishes have a special name it escapes me at the moment, if I think of it will post.

Michael

Hi Michael,

Thanks for your detailed response! Looking back at that photo, I can see that I need to work on my photography. Future ones will be better! I do think it is stoneware, but only because I can't see light through the piece. I read that that was a good test for differentiating between porcelain and stoneware. I didn't know ko-kutani, or old kutani, was made in stoneware as well! There's a lot I have to learn in this area and I appreciate the information. I admit, I have a copy of Kutani Ware by Sensaku Nakagawa on my desk waiting to be read, but I haven't found the time to just sit with it lately. 

Kindly,

John

Posted by: @watership

 

Hi John,

These are all very familiar to me. The 1st item with the boat is the best and most unusual. I love it. I have very similar dishes with different designs that I had previously dated to 1910-1920.

The second dish I believe is mid 19th. That very dark blue and the painting style I’ve come to associate with that period. Although I could be just wrong 😋 . Julia has a good feel for these things. The last two dishes, I agree with your thoughts.

The set of cups look to possibly be Meiji also.

Nice collection...especially the 1st one! 

Best, Todd

Hi Todd, 

Thank you for your evaluations! I'm glad you loved the boat tray too. I'm very surprised that it may be Meiji/Taisho era. Although looking closer, I just noticed there are some crackles in the glaze that I had missed before that might speak to age. I was so tunnel-visioned with this tray, I saw the junks and that's all I needed to see!

Also, handling the tray and comparing it to your photos, I see no differences in the shape. I love the bird and nature scene on yours! Would be very interesting to see a collection of these trays with different designs.

I am a very happy camper tonight. I posted this initially thinking I had only two probable old pieces, but it looks like the whole collection is good. 

Kindly,

John

Posted by: @brettm

As son as I had posted the name Nagazara .. long dish popped back into my head, might have to visit the body shop and get a new one.

Michael

🤣 Thanks, Michael! I've never heard of that term before, so I don't blame you for the brief lapse in memory. Another term to add to my growing vocabulary list. 

I will add that the last two flower shaped dishes are often dated early 19th, even late 18th as Michael indicated as a possibility. I have also seen them dated often as Meiji. So, I have given up on being sure and just call them 19th century 😋. I wonder if anyone knows for sure....

Yes, your boat dish and the one I have posted I would confidently say are the same maker and around the same time. Just too similar not to be....